Since its inception in 1978, the Jewish Community Center of the East Bay has been on the move. As a forefront organization leading the Bay Area’s largest Jewish community — of an overall region with North America’s fourth-largest Jewish population — the East Bay JCC meets the needs of the people it serves in ways rarely achieved by other entities.
With the announcement of the East Bay JCC’s upcoming move after 43 years from its longtime Berkeley home at 1414 Walnut St. to a new, three-acre campus in Oakland’s Rockridge district, forward-thinking momentum continues to define the organization.
The new center will be a hub for about 20 organizations and offer a preschool, Hebrew immersion after-school programs, an extensive variety of adult classes and workshops, cultural events and holiday celebrations. Included in the soon-to-be released plans are a teen center, a maker’s space and educational opportunities for adults ages 60 or older. With time, a summer camp, community garden and health and wellness center are hoped-for additions.
“I’ve worked and lived in multiple Jewish communities,” says Melissa Chapman, the East Bay JCC’s chief executive officer who came on board in September 2019. “I was recruited during a four-month process of interviews, and my main priority was building this campus for the community.”
Chapman brought work experience to her position from having held similar leadership roles in San Diego and Sacramento. A Chicago native, she notes the East Bay Jewish community’s diversity.
“What was apparent to me immediately is that it’s the most diverse in identity — be that traditional, interfaith, Jews of color, LGBTQ+ and others. There’s richness to the tapestry here. The JCC, by having 20 organizations under its umbrella, can meet those needs in ways a single organization cannot.”
Chapman says the community is also deeply committed to civic engagement and social justice.
“Each Jewish community is part of the general zeitgeist. Across the spectrum, the East Bay Jewish community is highly educated, but there’s also greater division politically and when it comes to Israel.”
That means having more space to best serve all the varied interests and priorities is particularly pleasing. Chapman says the 115-year-old community center currently housed at Berkeley’s former Garfield Junior High School and in 1980 designated as a city landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, had become like a cinched belt on an expanding waistline.
“Our Berkeley site was clearly no longer suitable for such a growing community,” says Chapman. “The East Bay Area represents 37% of the Jewish population in the Bay Area that is the fourth largest in the country. To lack space would mean there are Jews and others who come to the JCC looking for connection and we can’t serve them. This new campus quadruples our abilities.”
Chapman says the JCC will eventually occupy more than 70% of the campus at Oakland’s 5929 College Ave. Formerly the headquarters for the Nestlé-owned Dreyer’s ice cream, Nestlé sold the property to Libitzky Property Companies in 2019. The JCC’s $1 million fundraising campaign and move to Rockridge was kick-started with major philanthropic support from Moses Libitzky and the family-owned company.
“Obviously, a pivot point was the donor stepping up to financially secure this campus while we’re raising the rest of the money. We have $85 million left to raise, and the goal is to fully open in one year.”
Already, 12 Jewish organizations are operational on the new campus. An energetic outreach program had the East Bay JCC orchestrating multiple efforts.
“We did a major Jewish community survey. It was open to anybody, but the majority of lists we used connected to Jewish organizations. We had about 2,000 responses. Rosov Consulting (a business development agency) conducted it, so it was extensive.”
The JCC also did its own survey using questions from the initial survey. Information was placed in local papers, a task force of neighbors in Oakland’s Rockridge was formed, a town hall was held and Chapman and others attended city council, chamber of commerce and neighborhood association meetings.
“We received the input we needed to obtain city planning and approvals. We will continue to meet with Rockridge neighbors and attend meetings to provide updates about construction and other developments.”
Gaining extra space and taking steps to make the new buildings more accessible is happening in synchronicity and will benefit the community in unprecedented ways, Chapman says.
“The old building was (U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act) ADA-compliant, but it was too expensive due to its landmark status to upgrade or add heating, air conditioning and other features. We’ll have those things, and we’re making sure to do more.
“We’ll have water fountains with two levels to accommodate people in wheelchairs. We’re taking down a giant staircase that goes up to the main building so the entrance is at ground level. We’re adding a gender-neutral restroom to every floor, which will also be family restrooms.”
Beyond improvements for individuals and families and enough space to double preschool enrollment, allowing the East Bay JCC’s core programs to grow is hoped to introduce new community partnerships.
“We’ll have the ability to serve and bring together more people,” Chapman says, adding that the new location is a walkable distance from the Rockridge BART station and is on AC Transit’s 51B bus route.
Chapman is clearly enthusiastic about the East Bay JCC’s future.
“What’s most exciting and important for me is when I am not separating the CEO from the person I am,” she says. “We are going to have a place where being Jewish publicly and fiercely proud — I won’t have to tuck my Star of David away. I want the community to feel comfortable expressing Jewish pride in a public space. Our new location will provide that and more.”
Lou Fancher is a freelance writer. Reach her at lou@johnsonandfancher.com.